Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-02-19
LINCoLN,s BIRraDAY.

Nearly Three Hundred OF the Most Promi-
neat Republicans Pressnt-Ths Toasts
and the RespOnseA-Letler Of Regret from
Hon. James G. Blaine.
NV YoRK, February 12.-The first an
nual dinner Of the Republican Club of New
| York, on The anniversary OF the birthday of
Abraham LingOln, was held at DeimOnico's
| tonight with about 273, more or less, well
knOVn republicans present, including 5ena-
tors HEWley, Harrison. and Aldrich, Cover
nor Oglesby, OF Illinois; Governor Foraker,
Of OHIO; and Governor Lounsburys OF Con.
necticuI; Senator-elect HiscOck and Cover
NOE Foster, of Ohio.
Mr.. Blaine had been expected to respond
I to the toast Of Abraham Lincoln, but at the
Z last minute he sent a letter Of regret. The
speaking continued until a late hour. Gov
ernOr Foraker, IN the course of his response,
/ said Of the republican party: Its call for
troops was answered by the grandest army
that was ever marshalled on this, or any
other continent 1t put more than a mil
lion men into the field and maintained them
there until IN more than three hundred
bloody battles Of the republic they shot to
everlasting death the heresy Of secession
and the infamy of rebellion. To carry on
/ this stupendous work It raised and ezpend-
ed more than $1,000, 100000, and account
/ ed for IL all, to the last dollar, with such
scru putOu8 honest and fidelity as to stamp
its igil service as the most intelligent, hon
csc and capable that any government has
ever enjoyed since civilization began. 1t
struck the shaekles from the feet of 4,OOO,-
I 600 cOlOrsd people.
1t enacted homestead laws, endowed and
established agricultural colleges provided a
sound financial system, domestic commerce
and uneXampled prosperity for the whole
country by the adoption and maintenance
/ OF that wise patriotic policy of protecting
American industries and American labor.
When We came into power our aggregate
wealth was but $40, 100000. When We went
out OF power IL was nearly $50, OOO, 900, 600.
W
where as only an experiment In 1884 it was
REGARDED everywhere as the freest and
strongest ever established by man. In 1860
We were a nation Of sections at fatal war
with each other as to certain questions of a
radical and vital character.
But when the republican party went out of
| power every such question had been settled,
and it Is only the simple truth to say that
| it hes gained the confidence of the country
only to the extent that il has disOWned dem
Ocracy and has adopted republication; and
thus 1t Is in the hour of its defeat that the
republican party has won another splendid
/ victory by the enforced appreciation and
adoption of its work at the hands of its
enemy. The speaker asserted that the
party, however, had not finished its work
and continued: "C1reat problems concern
| the American people What shall be the
solution of the labor question, of the liquor
question, of the silver question, CT the
] Chinese question, of the Canadian fisheries
| question and OF the all-im portant question
/ of reform in our municipal gOVerement.
/ The republican party must answer. Let 1t
answer in the future as ever IN the past"
Hon. James g. Blaine. IN his letter of re-
| gret, after referring to the anniversary and
paying tribute to " Washington and Lincoln
as the two immortal names IN American his
/ tory, says: "Your club meets to do honor to
/ Mr.. Lincoln as a republican. 1t was the re-
publican party that gave Mr.. Lincoln to the
/ nation, and sustained him step by step
| throughout his extraordinary career. A cele-
/ bratlOn OF Mr.. LincOln's name is a cslsbra-
I ton of the republican party. To that party
/ he was sincerely attached, to its principles
he was entirely devoted, and in its SUCCESS
/ he found the victorious issue of the great
/ policy of which he was himself the personal
exponent. The republican party makes no
/ attempt TO narrow tbs possession of a fame
/ that Is recognized on ali continents, and
that will last through ali centuries; that be-
longs to humanity. But the political organ
/ ization which supported Mr.. Lincoln has
the right to claim the prestige Of his name
as It continues to labor in the great field
where he wrought, until the harvest of his
planting shall be gathered
Letters Of regret were also read from Gen
erals Sherman and Sheridan, Robert L g.
Lincoln, K. b. Hayes, Hannibal Hamlin and
Senators Evarts, Warner and Miller.
Senator Harrison, of Missouri, responded
to the toast Reform Within the Party
| II believed IN pure men. That cali that
brought them together was a call to sacri-
nee, not to spoil. Their primaries were open
and free, and the party is always governed
by Its primaries.
Governor Oglssby said: In 1888, if the re-
publican party put up a candidate who was
IlrreprOachable in character, all hell and the
demOcatic party combined couldn't defeat
him. The leader of the republican party
IN 1885 must be great enough and broad
enough to take in the whole 100000
square miles of our territory. He must be
able to see more than one section of the
land. He advised the pe Opls of New York
and New England not 10 get excited over the
Idefenseless coasts. The people of Europe
were too much engaged in watching each
other.